Green
Power Switch: Methane Gas

Methane gas
for TVA’s green power program comes from the City of Memphis
wastewater treatment facility. It produces a methane by-product
that is burned along with coal at TVAs Allen Fossil Plant.

Methane is
produced when organic wastes decay. The wastewater plant’s
lagoon was covered to capture the methane, which otherwise would
have to be burned off in order to reduce the danger that
comes when too much gas builds up.

If methane
is released right into the atmosphere, it is a powerful greenhouse
gas. That means it adds to global warming.
Using it to make
energy instead
reduces the amount of methane that is put into
the atmosphere. For this reason, energy recovery from methane
is good for the environment.

Besides helping
out with global warming, the methane fuel used at Allen Fossil
Plant saves more than 8,000 tons of coal,
and that
means
less air pollution.

The project
has been approved by the Center
for Resource
Solutions, the organization that accredits Green Power Switch.

Methane
gas is captured in a wastewater lagoon and co-fired with coal
at Allen Fossil Plant in Memphis.